WWE SmackDown 6/26/2026: 3 Things We Hated & 3 Things We Loved

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s weekly review of "WWE SmackDown," the show where the MFTs broke up and Blake Monroe finally debuted! The WINC staff has thoughts on both those things here in the column, as well as Rey Fenix vs. Nathan Frazer, Jacy Jayne vs. Paige, the go-home hype for Night of Champions, and more.

If you missed the show, you can catch up by going to our "WWE SmackDown" 6/26 results page, which contains every objective detail of this, the final three-hour blue brand episode of the year. If you want to know what the WINC crew thought about our favorite and least favorite parts, and don't mind a little subjective opinion, this is the column for you. Here are three things we hated and three things we loved about the 6/26/26 episode of "WWE SmackDown!"

Jacy Jayne lost again this week to make her singles record since coming up to "WWE SmackDown" 1-2. And while her first defeat came in a face-saving DQ to Rhea Ripley, the WWE Women's Champion, and her win came against Charlotte Flair, which is significant, she was also on the losing 75% of a four-way in the Queen of the Ring tournament in her last match. This week, she lost to Paige in predictable fashion, with the show emanating from London, England.

Aside from that home nation factor, though, there was little reason for Paige to be the one to go over. Especially when Jayne is backed by Fatal Influence, further stacking the odds against Paige. Fatal Influence, and thus Jayne, are clearly targeting the Women's Tag Team Champions in Paige and Brie Bella. This week's loss should have some repercussions in that regard, but the feud will continue as though the result does not matter.

Even still, Jayne has hardly been presented as a credible competitor since coming to the main roster. And this was a result that could have got some heat on her while building that credibility. For as much a home national can be good for the crowd buzz, it can work the other way and build a villain to get the win and steal that moment away.

That sort of result felt as though it would have been better applied here. But it wasn't, and it's just a shame.

Written by Max Everett

When I saw the spoilers that the MFTs were no more, I knew I was going to be interested in at least one part of "SmackDown" tonight, and thankfully, that proved to be true. I'm a big fan of Solo Sikoa when WWE decides to give him an interesting character, and the leader of the MFTs just wasn't it for me. When he hit Jimmy Uso with a Samoan Spike on "WWE Raw" on Monday, I was intrigued, and his various segments throughout the night tonight were my favorite parts of the show.

I loved that Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga weren't taking any more of it after Sikoa's involvement on "Raw," where he helped LA Knight get the victory. They basically just told him enough was enough and they're tired of being involved in Sikoa's war against Roman Reigns in a backstage segment, and walked away. It was simple and to the point, and then, Sikoa was called out to the ring by Knight.

This part of Sikoa's night was a bit rambly, though that was on Knight, but it also felt necessary to get his point across that he hates the Bloodline and he wants to take them down, now that he's got nothing left. Knight was never going to agree to team with him, which is whatever, but at least Sikoa's intentions were made a bit more clear in front of the crowd, who even did their little sing-songy thing for him, and it was cool to hear Sikoa get any kind of reaction. If Knight is going to continue to be crazy about the Bloodline stuff, the link to Sikoa tonight, even if it ends there with Knight's refusal to team up, was a nice through line.

I especially liked Sikoa's line about hating he was ever in the group, which could get interesting if WWE explores that part of his thinking more. And he really is on his own, as we saw even later in a backstage segment with Royce Keys. He told Sikoa that Jacob Fatu is definitely coming after him, and basically just wished him luck instead of offering him help outright, though after tonight, I'm not sure I hate a pairing of Sikoa and Keys.

Even Tama and Talla had a little follow-up later when they ran into Finn Balor backstage and Balor said it was good to see Tama making his own decisions again (Tama basically told him to back off).

While I've been annoyed with the Bloodline story going between both shows and taking up time, with this development tonight, I think I'm back in. While I'm slightly apprehensive about it, I do like where it's going with Sikoa.

Written by Daisy Ruth

Several weeks ago, Blake Monroe made her big main roster debut...in a backstage segment. The segment lasted less than a minute with Monroe putting down Chelsea Green. And then there was no followup. In the lead up to her debut, WWE repackaged the original vignette teasing her "NXT" debut. The updated version had clips from her time in "NXT." After her backstage debut, several vignettes aired with Monroe calling out various women on the main roster. All the vignettes advertised her as "coming soon", even though she'd already debuted.

Monroe finally made her in-ring debut (sort of) when she attacked Giulia following her win over Kiana James. Going after a former champion isn't a bad idea when that wrestler is Giulia, but why didn't she attack a current champion? The U.S. Women's Champion, Tiffany Stratton wrestled a tag match to open the show. Why not attack her instead?

Monroe didn't seem to get as big of a reaction as I would have expected in her hometown (unless the sound just didn't come through well on the broadcast). She did debut a new finisher, so that's positive. Dragging out her debut and then having her debut in a backstage segment only to revert to vignettes doesn't give me much hope. Giulia should be a big feud, but they haven't done a good job with her either. Considering the way they've handled both women, my expectations for this feud is low.

Written by Samantha Schipman

You know those pairs of people who just get into the ring and instantly have some next level chemistry with one another? Well Rey Fenix and Nathan Frazer are the perfect example of one of those pairs.

Fenix and Frazer had an incredibly engaging, high flying, smooth, and fast-paced contest that really stood out to me on an edition of "SmackDown" that I would otherwise describe as fairly par for the course. From bell to bell, this was one that I had a ton of fun watching and enjoyed seeing both men do their thing without any lulls or points in the match where I felt like the action dipped in any way, shape, or form.

I also really enjoyed that there were a couple of points in the match where there was essentially a stalemate between both men. Not only did it show that both men came into this one at the top of their games fighting for a AAA World Cruiserweight Championship that meant a lot to them, but it also really added to the atmosphere of the bout and created a sense of urgency. There honestly wasn't anything that I would change about this one, and I hope that we get to see some more from them both in the future!

Written by Olivia Quinlan

I am so tired of WWE main event segments just featuring a whole lot of talking and not a lot of action, and tonight's episode of "SmackDown" was no different. This episode did little to hype me up for Night of Champions tomorrow, and that was especially true for the Undisputed WWE Championship triple threat match. I'm tired of hearing Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and GUNTHER yap at one another; at least King of the Ring finalists Jey Uso and Oba Femi were there to end the show, but it did little to help matters.

To start, Zayn's backstage segments alongside Johnny Gargano continue to make little sense. I don't know if WWE is attempting to tease that Gargano could finally get up and help Zayn win the championship or what. He really has no incentive to get up and help, as Zayn hasn't promised him a championship shot or anything at all, really. Gargano and Candice LeRae were really just there tonight during Zayn's backstage interview, with the camera just cutting to them twice as Zayn yapped on. If WWE isn't going to do anything with these two, they just need to take them off television, as it's getting pretty ridiculous and redundant.

GUNTHER's backstage promo wasn't much more exciting, but at least he didn't have the random addition of another talent laying around. As is tradition, Rhodes looked to end the show, but was quickly interrupted by Zayn. I feel like Zayn could have expressed his regrets about officiating last week's match to the champion during a backstage segment earlier in the night to get it over with.

I will admit, Rhodes' lines about Kevin Owens were really good, with him bringing up how he has no idea how Owens and Zayn are best friends, as Owens would have stabbed him in the front, and at least Owens has been a world champion. When GUNTHER came out, he also mentioned the fact Zayn hasn't held the title, and WWE really chose to drive that point home tonight. If Zayn isn't winning the title in Saudi Arabia tomorrow, it only continues to make him look silly and uncredible.

GUNTHER mentioning the King of the Ring brought out Uso, which was fine and made sense if the main event was just going to be a yap session. As much as I love Femi, I thought his involvement was going to have a little more oomph to it, but he had to get the stride in to pop the crowd. I'd say his appearance saved this for me, but it honestly just reminded me he has to face Uso tomorrow, and I don't feel too confident about his chances there.

Written by Daisy Ruth

The best time on Friday nights rolled around once more as a backstage segment showed Danhausen and his newly electro-lobotomized minions the Miz and Kit Wilson lounging about in his backstage laboratory. Matt Cardona appeared and confronted Danhausen about his own incident in the lab, saying that since getting a shock he has the urge to go back to Long Island and can't stop "Woo Woo"-ing. But the unattended Miz and Wilson got up and took themselves for a walk, prompting Danhausen to leave to find them before Cardona could get any form of answer — though not before he got a warning from Danhausen not to touch the FrankenWrestler obscured by a sheet.

Danhausen and his minions later appeared ringside as he sought to show off his work. He asked Miz what he thought of him taking over Miz TV. Miz said that was awesome. He asked Wilson what he thought of the Los Garzas chasing Danhausen back for their money. Wilson said that was toxic.

That then prompted Los Garzas to come out and confront Danhausen, rather hilariously ignoring him when they got in the ring and instead attacking Miz and Wilson. When they had disposed of Miz and Wilson and only Danhausen stood in the ring, then they turned their attention to him.

But then Cardona came to the rescue, as a little more sentient of a minion thankful for the uncursing of the Knicks. That then prompted a tag team match to be booked, thus threatening what had already been entertaining enough of a segment.

However, the match only continued to be as entertaining with the Miz and Wilson ambling around at ringside while the match unfolded in the ring. They sprung into action as Angel sought to bring a chair into the ring and beat Danhausen with it, and Danhausen ultimately got the win by cursing Berto on the top rope.

It was just pure goofy fun from start to finish, embracing the weird and wacky with none involved taking themselves too seriously. If wrestling cannot be good, the very least it can be is fun, and this was.

Written by Max Everett